Rwanda to the World
Rwanda and its Capital Kigali were the star of the Cycling sport during the week of 21 to 28 September 2025. The world watched hundreds of televisions broadcasting the first ever UCI Road World Championships on the continent of Africa, in its 125-year history, a great milestone, for the international sport.
The week delivered much more. Excited fans on the sides of cycling roads in Kigali were offered to watch a hard and unpredictable racing that particularly highlighted the women and junior racing programmes which captured the spectators’ attention.
Undoubtedly, UCI 2025 in Kigali showed the love for cycling in Rwanda, and above it demonstrated the universality of cycling and the need to take it global.
Africa came out of oblivion
Until the UCI world championships came to Kigali, Africa was left behind of the cycling sport that has acquired its global popularity.
Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania have had their part in organizing the Worlds cycling, but Africa had not yet had that opportunity. Kigali has brought that change and in the best way it could be.
A record 108 countries, including 38 from Africa, were represented, with nearly 1.000 riders, who completed across categories. The Continent’s representation was way higher than any from other corner of the world. Thousands of fans who had seen the now famous Tour du Rwanda manifested highest enthusiasm cheering the climbing-tested riders. Kigali showed that the biggest cycling races can also be hosted outside the traditional home of Europe.
Apart from UCI’s World Cycling Centre (WCC) satellite in Paarl, South Africa, the cycling body launched a new Regional Development Satellite in Rwanda, with facilities in Musanze, Bugesera and Rwamagana. These centers are intended for training athletes, as well as developing mechanics, coaches and event staff, creating the ecosystem that a sustainable cycling culture needs.
In all matters, Kigali race proved a well-organized cycling competition that matched the world standards.
UCI President Lappartient hailed Rwanda’s course as both both the most challenging and most spectacular ever.
UCI Kigali 2025 revealed a new order in the cycling competitions
The Under 23 women (U23) and Junior racing (16-17 years old boys) showed the world cycling family and cycling lovers that these groups deserve rightly the same recognition as the seasoned professionals.
The U23 marked a race that is fast, aggressive and thrilling to watch. The U23 women’s debut in Kigali was as historic as the first championships in Rwanda. Moreover, the vision of aligning the women’s race to that of men’s has seen its reality in Kigali, and the future of cycling competitions looks exciting.
The Junior racing was sharp, aggressive and international in form. It has now become the talent base for the cycling World Tour teams and the transition to professional contracts is done immediately after the junior level.
In short, Kigali has shown that the cycling sport is evolving, growing and the Junior Worlds in Kigali showed that future stars of the bicycle are being identified and developed faster than ever.
HE Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, Prince Albert II of Monaco and UCI President David Lappartient graced UCI 2025 closing ceremony, a landmark moment, for global cycling.
UCI 2025 was a success, and what after?
Rwanda has proved to the world that its leadership led by HE President Paul Kagame walks the talk. Kigali has been on spotlight for a week and the world saw live how a perfect road infrastructure, a disciplined and resilient people, and a responsible and orderly law enforcement structure can bring changes to any nation’s development.
The international televisions raised Rwanda’s profile as a sport destination. Good enough for Rwanda whose vision is to become a world hub for events.
In the minds of the children in Rwanda, and Africa in general, they realized that their riders can compete with professionals of the global stage. They also saw that Africa can host a cycling race of the world caliber; it was a myth demystified on African soil.
Finally, Kigali anticipated a positive forecast for the future cycling competitions. The 2025 Worlds created an opportunity for expansion by giving space to new faces, new horizons, new nations and new champions.
